While Colorado has one of the nation’s highest renewable energy standards, between 2000 and 2010 it also had one of the biggest increases in carbon dioxide emissions, according to federal Energy Information data.

Colorado saw a 13.9 percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions to 96.5 million metric tons. That place it behind Nebraska, which had a 16 percent jump to 48 million tons, and Iowa with an 14.1 percent rise to 88.7 million tons.

One driver was a 38 percent increase in emissions from burning natural gas, which contributed 26.8 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2010. Most of that came from industrial operations and electricity generation.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and is linked in scientific studies to climate change

In all, 32 states saw declines in their carbon emissions and 18 recorded increases in emissions. The biggest drops were in Delaware, 27.9 percent to 11.7 million tons, and New York, which cut emissions 18 percent to 172 million tons.

Emilie Rusch covers retail and commercial real estate for The Post. A Wisconsin native and Mizzou graduate, she moved to Colorado in 2012. Before that, she worked at a small daily newspaper in South Dakota. It's the one with Mount Rushmore.